‘Committed and determined paedophile’ abused his power at Leeds children’s home

John Foreman.

Published:06:00Monday 10 April 2017

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A “committed and determined paedophile” who sexually abused young boys in his care when he was an assistant at a children’s home in Leeds has been locked up for more than 21 years.

John Foreman, 67, has been brought to justice more than 40 years after he targeted three young victims at the home on Street Lane, Roundhay, Leeds.

Leeds Crown Court heard Foreman’s most serious offence involved the rape of an 11-year-old who he then threatened to have sent to a youth detention centre if he told anyone about the attack.

Foreman, of Robb Street, Beeston, Leeds, also targeted victims, the youngest aged nine, as they were asleep in their beds or in his car.

A jury heard Foreman abused his role as a ‘house parent’ at the local authority-run children’s home in the 1970s.

Foreman was found guilty of a serious sexual offences which would be classed as rape under present-day legislation.

The pensioner also pleaded guilty to 14 offences of indecent assault. Sentencing Foreman to a total of 21 years, eight months, Recorder Tahir Khan, QC, said: “You were a committed and determined paedophile.

“The offences you committed were a gross abuse of trust that had been placed in you to care for the young and vulnerable children who were in your charge.”

Describing the effect of the brutal sex attack on the 11-year-old victim, Recorder Khan added: “His life has been irrecoverably changed by the abuse you perpetrated against him. This was extreme abuse of a vulnerable boy by a man in gross breach of trust.”